Winter Sovereigns
by Esperata
Summary: A random one-shot for Christmas. Jack Frost has been thawed but what will the Snow Queen make of that?


In the early days there were far more legendary figures. Mostly local. Each one struggling to find a niche. Each one struggling to survive. And it was a struggle. Those who survived either got very lucky... or fought their way to the top.

* * *

At the North Pole Mrs Claus had given birth to a bouncing baby boy, Buddy. And Jack Frost had been thawed. In the good will inspired by the former event and in acknowledgment of the later, Santa had let Frost stay… at least until he sorted out what he was gong to do.

Things were beginning to relax after what had possibly been the most stressful Christmas ever. Carol's parents had gone home, Laura and Neil had likewise left with Charlie and Lucy, and the other Legendary figures had all returned to their own occupations. All things considered, Scott was feeling good when Curtis glumly announced Bernard's return. Leaving the baby asleep with his attentive elf-sitters, the Clauses went out to welcome the happy couple home.

"Bernard!" Santa hugged his head elf. "It's good to have you back! Not that Curtis here hasn't been doing a fine job," he added quickly. Bernard grinned.

"Where's Roxanne?" Carol asked.

"She was just saying 'Hi' to a few friends," he gestured across to where a lithe elf girl was smiling with some others. When Scott had first arrived some ten years ago he'd met Bernard's girlfriend and was surprised to discover they'd been dating nearly 2000 years. Last year he'd finally decided to propose.

"I can't believe you're a married man." Santa grinned at him.

"What can I say? You were an inspiration."

"I'm sure you'll be wanting to spend more time at home." Curtis put in. Bernard dropped a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm married not decrepit."

"So what's been happening here?" Roxanne joined Bernard. The Clauses looked at each other.

"We'll tell you indoors."

* * *

Bernard and Roxanne sat in attentive silence while Scott relayed the past month's events. Carol chipped in occasionally with reminders of how stressed he'd been and how emotional she'd got. All in all the impression was of chaos and narrowly avoided disaster.

"Looks like I got back just in time."

"Hey! It wasn't _my_ fault." Curtis denied. "It was Jack Frost."

"How did the Snow Queen react?" Roxanne asked looking between Santa, Curtis and Mrs Claus. Scott looked like he'd just remembered, Curtis looked guilty and Carol looked blank. "You _did_ invite her?"

"You don't know how busy it's been here!" Santa explained. "Jack Frost was causing trouble, we were trying to hide everything from the in-laws…"

"Isn't she, well… rather cruel?" Carol asked. Bernard quickly interrupted before Roxanne could react.

"That's just the Hans Christian Anderson tale. Before that she was considered a comforting figure to those who died out in the cold. Like the little matchbox girl."

"Huh. It might have been nicer to _save_ them." This time Roxanne answered hotly.

"The Snow Queen is far more ancient than you, or any of us! She existed before even the Elder elves settled here. But it isn't up to her who lives and dies. That is always the province of your fellows. If humans themselves can't be bothered to rescue men from the snow why should she?" Nobody spoke. Roxanne calmed down. "Besides, she did once save a man from the cold."

"Really? Who?" Santa looked curiously between the elves. Bernard had his mouth firmly shut, Curtis looked nervous, but Roxanne was smiling.

"It was centuries ago. So long ago that few of us remember." She glanced at Bernard. "When there were still Elder elves living here with their wandering queen. One night she came to us in her sleigh with a human man close to death. She said her heart had been moved by his plea." Here Roxanne shook her head sadly. "We nursed him back to health and even offered him refuge."

"What happened?" Carol whispered. Roxanne looked her in the eye.

"He stayed here." She replied simply. "At first all he asked was a safe place to make and hide gifts for the poor local to him. Then he requested an assistant," she smiled at Bernard. Then her smile faded. "But soon he needed more space to expand, and more workers, and then he wanted to find a way to take his gifts further…"

"Are you trying to tell me the Snow Queen rescued the first Santa?" Scott interrupted. Roxanne transferred her gaze to him.

"Gradually the Elders left," she continued. "Until nothing was left of our civilisation but what you now see. I am the last of my kind. The last of the Elders." Bernard took her hand and took over the story.

"The Snow Queen blamed herself you see. She vowed to never interfere in the lives of men again. But we invite her every year, during the twelve days of Christmas, in memory of our history, and in a sense now for the Santa's to show their gratitude."

"You are in her debt." Roxanne added. A solemn silence descended on the group. Curtis promptly broke it.

"Well, at least we didn't miss Twelfth Night." Bernard glared at him.

"Luckily for _you_. She may never have forgiven us if she'd missed that… but _you_ wouldn't have lived that long!" And so saying he clipped Curtis round the ear.

* * *

A message was promptly sent to the Snow Queen, apologising for the delay and inviting her to visit them and their new-born. The elves were instructed to work double time in returning Elfsburg to normal following it's transformation into a Canadian village.

"What's with the hurry?" Jack asked.

"Long story short," Santa hesitated. "The Snow Queen's coming."

"Really? Huh. I guess she'll be pleased she's now sole sovereign of winter." He mused. "But she'll be offended not to have been invited sooner."

"You knew we were meant to invite her? Why didn't you _say_ something?" Jack shrugged.

"It hardly seemed important to me in the run up to Christmas," he reminded Santa.

"Well… maybe she'll be pacified to learn you're not going to be bothering her anymore. How long have you know her anyway?"

"Oh since the early days of time." Jack smiled breezily. "We've been competing for millennia. Oh, for the Ice Ages again..."

"You've got to move with the times Jack."

"You know that's precisely what I've always said to her? Nobody cares about a bit of snow anymore. It's not like the good old days. She should branch out more. Of course she's got Hans Christian Anderson on side…"

"On side? He makes her out to be a kidnapping villainess." Jack shrugged again.

"Perhaps, but at least she's remembered. You know of Mother Friday?" Santa was taken aback by the sudden question and answered hesitantly.

"No."

"She was a Legendary figure once. Very big in Russia. But now she's forgotten and faded away… just like the elf Elders." Santa looked at him.

"You know about them too?" Jack smiled knowingly.

"I know about lots of things. All I'd say is don't expect Snowy to be easily pacified." He wandered away.

* * *

When the Snow Queen's feathery sleigh landed there was a crowd to greet her. She ignored most of the elves but smiled at Roxanne.

"I was pleased to hear your news child."

"Thank you your majesty." She made a curtsy. The queen looked to Bernard who made an awkward bow.

"Snow Queen," Scott stepped forward. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

"If it were that great a pleasure you'd have sought it sooner."

"Yes, well… we've been very busy… and have a new baby!"

"I'm sure that took a lot out of _you_, as the father." Scott smile faltered but he changed tack.

"But there's good news for you!"

"Really?" She seemed mildly curious and Scott pressed his momentary advantage.

"Yes. You're now the sole regent of winter!" She raised an eyebrow.

"I've always been the sole regent of winter."

"I mean," he struggled to keep his smile in place. "You no longer have to contend with Jack Frost." She now openly frowned.

"What do you mean?" Scott almost bounced with excitement.

"Jack Frost's been thawed!"

"Thawed? Don't be ridiculous you can't…" but she stopped short as Jack himself approached.

"Well hello Firn." She stared at him. Gone was the icy white hair, replaced with flat greasy brown locks. Gone the pale skin, now a rosy pink. Even his stylish blue suit was now a drab white. And his smile…

"What on earth happened to you!"

"I've been warmed! From the inside out. Care to feel?" He stepped forward and she hurriedly backed away. She turned on Santa.

"I see you have no regard for tradition or the proper way of things! And you," she sneered at Frost. "I didn't think you could sink any lower." With a flourish she stormed into the building.

"Well, that went well." Jack commented before meandering off between the buildings. Santa looked back to the doorway. It had not gone well but he wasn't sure where he'd gone wrong. His thoughts were interrupted by Bernard.

"Not wishing to criticise but…"

"I know, I know. That could have gone better."

"Why did you spring Jack on her like that?"

"I thought she'd be pleased! _I'd_ have been pleased not to have to put up with him anymore."

"_You're_ not in love with him." Roxanne pointed out.

"In love? With Jack?" Santa asked incredulously. Bernard nodded. "Oh dear."

"Oh dear's right because _now_ they're completely incompatible."

* * *

As the evening drew in, elves began to gather outside Santa's workshop. Waiting on the circular ice rink were twelve little elves, aglow with pleasure and each holding an unlit candle. They wore matching outfits of varying shade of lilac through to violet. Mr and Mrs Claus took their places just outside the workshop doors, overlooking the ice rink. Jack Frost stood beside Carol while on the far side the Snow Queen waited beside Scott.

A hush descended as another figure stepped onto the ice. Dressed in shimmering white, she glittered from the light of the candle she carried. As she made her way to the centre the twelve others took up positions at equal distances round the outside. All eyes were on Roxanne as she solemnly bowed to the Snow Queen. Then she spun and drifted away.

The following show was mesmeric. The twelve skaters in purple moved with rhythmic routine in a hypnotic pattern, while Roxanne flowed amongst them deftly like a ghost. Gradually each of their twelve candles was lit even though Roxanne never stopped moving and no-one could say when each candle was actually lit.

All the skaters drifted to a stop simultaneously, each in the same position they'd started in, but now with every candle lit. A general celebration began from the ice rink outwards, with each elf turning and wishing their neighbour a happy twelfth night. As the laughter rose and the solemnity of the occasion faded away, Frost turned with a wide grin to speak across to the Snow Queen.

"Well," he began brightly. "Now the show's over, I guess you can go! Nice seeing you." He waved cheerily. She narrowed her eyes at him but it was Carol who answered.

"But she only just got here!"

"Still it's the busy season… and it'll be a lot of work for just one… and let's face it, she can't hope to live up to my level."

"Oh really?" There were icicles in her voice. "Of course I'd like nothing better than to leave… I hardly want to spend more time with _you_… but unfortunately the weather is too bad to fly." She shrugged and everyone turned to look out the hole at the North Pole. A raging blizzard had started where just an hour before a clear sky had predominated. Frost spun back to her.

"You! You did that!"

"Me? Why ever should I do that?"

"To try and prove you're up to my level," he shot back. "But all it proves is you aren't."

"What do you mean _aren't_?"

"I had style, finesse. There's a delicacy to these things. That's just a bloody big storm!"

"Bigger than _you_ could ever manage. **I** can bring countries to a stand still. All you could do I entertain children," she sneered. He drew in a breath to respond but she spun on her heel and stalked back, calling over her shoulder,

"Past tense, of course."

"Can you believe her?" he demanded to the Clauses before stalking off in the opposite direction. Scott was about to head inside himself when Carol stopped him.

"What are we going to do about those two?"

"Do? What do you mean do?"

"Well, we have to get them back together."

"Get them together?" he repeated in disbelief. "Did you see them just now?" Carol looked sternly at him.

"Yes but 'Santa delivers', remember?" He sagged in defeat.

"I'll talk to Frost."

* * *

In fact Scott left it until the morning to seek out Jack. He'd realised this wasn't going to be easy but he'd had a brilliant idea to get them together.

He found Jack sitting outside a café with a cocoa. Having not really planned what he'd actually say, he picked something random.

"Why'd you call the Snow Queen Firn?" Jack looked up surprised.

"Why? Well… do you know I can't quite remember? It's a word for snow though so I must have just started using it." He shrugged.

"It's not some affectionate pet name?" Santa suggested. Jack smiled.

"Hardly. We've been trying to out winter each other for centuries. I don't think affection comes into the equation."

"But she's beautiful though. In a very cold sort of way." Jack waved his head as though undecided.

"Yes, I suppose so. If you like that old fashioned prima donna look." Santa decided to try a different approach.

"Has it ever occurred to you _she_ might like _you_?" Jack actually laughed.

"Old icicles? I doubt she has any feelings left in her." He paused. "But then most women seem to find me attractive. What can I say? Women fall for me everywhere."

"Really." An icy voice came from behind him. "That's odd because I don't see women _here_ falling for you." Scott cringed. This was not going how he'd hoped. He'd naively hoped to trick Jack into confessing his feelings while the Snow Queen 'accidentally' overheard. Carol hung back warily from where she'd been walking alongside the Snow Queen. Her expression plainly showed the effect Jack's words would have had. Jack himself turned to face his counterpart.

"These aren't women… they're elves." He smiled smugly. "But what woman wouldn't want me?"

"Any woman of sense. Why would they want an arrogant, short-sighted, pompous fool like you?" Scott tried to interrupt but it was too late.

"At least I'm keeping up-to-date, changing with the times. I'm not an out of fashion old has-been." At this Carol tried to intervene but she too was ignored.

"A has-been!" The Snow Queen's eyes flashed dangerously. "At least I haven't thawed," she sneered. "I've still got _my_ skills. What have you got?" He moved forward angrily.

"Oh, I've got skills," he hissed. "And when I had the frosting as well I could have shown you what winter _really_ means."

"Oh really? If you had the frosting?" Her eyes sparkled with malice. He paused and considered what she was implying.

"You can give it back to me can't you? What's it they say? One kiss from you will freeze a man's heart?"

"Maybe," she smiled, enjoying the power she had over him. He smiled too and it was his old smile, mischievous and playful.

"Come on then. You know you want to," he whispered. She looked at him critically, then with a resigned shake of her head she leant forward and chastely kissed his lips.

The effect was startling. His body shivered so violently he blurred but when he refocused his suit was dark blue. The colour drained from his face and his hair crackled as it refroze. He looked curiously at his fingers, then pointed experimentally at his cocoa. It froze solid.

"That felt good," he grinned. Then he looked at her. There was a glitter in his eyes. Before she realised what was happening he was kissing her again and none too chastely.

"And that," he stated. "Felt great. What say you we get going and give them a winter they'll never forget?"

"I have a few ideas." The Snow Queen smiled wickedly.


End file.
